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March 30, 2023 Question: What CPT code would you use for a wound debridement when the operative notes says the…
March 16, 2023 Question: How should my physician document an adjacent tissue transfer? My physician documents the total in sq…
March 2, 2023 Question: Our plastic surgeon routinely does repairs after Mohs surgery. What CPT code do I report for…
February 16, 2023 Question: Can we code 97605 for a wound vac when the wound is closed and a wound…
February 2, 2023 Question: What does “separate procedure” mean when it follows a CPT code description? Answer: Per CPT: Some…
January 19, 2023 Question: We have a patient with 2 commercial payers (BCBS and Cigna). A consultation code was submitted…
December 15, 2022 Question: In 2023, will the level of service be determined by history, exam and medical decision making,…
December 1, 2022 Question: My physician is insisting that I bill an excision biopsy using a punch as a punch…
November 17, 2022 Question: What CPT code do I use to report the repair of the cleft lip with a…
November 3, 2022 Question: My physician performed two soft tissue tumor excisions in different areas on the scalp. They measured…
October 20, 2022 Question: What is the difference between an implant and a foreign body? Answer: On page 90 of…
October 6, 2022 Question: We have a patient with 2 commercial payers (BCBS and Cigna). A consultation code was submitted…
September 22, 2022 Question: I am a contracted physician with a group practice (Practice A) in our town. I have…
September 8, 2022 Question: Can I bill an office visit in the global period if the diagnosis is different from…
August 25, 2022 Question: My coder just told me about the new guidelines for 2021 office visit codes. She said…
August 11, 2022 Question: Can I use modifiers on an unlisted code? What about global period modifiers such as 58,…
July 28, 2022 Question: When billing for the muscle flap codes 15733, 15731 etc., can we also code for the…
July 14, 2022 Question: We have a new plastic surgeon who will start doing craniosynostosis surgery with a pediatric neurosurgeon.…
June 30, 2022 Question: Can I bill an office visit in the global period if the diagnosis is different from…
June 16, 2022 Question: I’ve heard you say to wait for the pathology report in order to bill for the…
June 2, 2022 Question: We are going to be doing bilateral carpal tunnel procedures on a patient – the right…
May 19, 2022 Question: I had to take a patient back to the operating room 6 weeks after breast reduction…
May 5, 2022 Question: One of our spine surgeons has asked me to help with an upcoming case. The patient…
April 21, 2022 Question: We are having a debate on whether to use a mastectomy code or breast reduction code…
April 7, 2022 Question: I was told that if I recommend surgery then I can automatically bill 99205 or 99215.…
March 24, 2022 Question: We billed 19371 (capsulectomy) with a breast reconstruction implant exchange (19342 – larger to smaller). We…
March 10, 2022 Question: A patient has a partial mastectomy by a general surgeon. After the surgery, a plastic surgeon…
February 24, 2022 Question: We precertified and billed a nasal fracture CPT code. The payor requested the operative note which…
February 10, 2022 Question: Since we have to bring the patients back in for COVID testing and H&P for Joint…
January 27, 2022 Question: I did an inpatient consultation and coded 99253 (non-Medicare). I did not need to follow the…
Articles
Aesthetic Society News – Fall 2022 by Karen Zupko Many aesthetic practices and spas we work with offer patient financing—but you’d…
Aesthetic Society News – Summer 2021 by Karen Zupko In 2020, 40 years of traveling weekly came to an abrupt halt…
Aesthetic Society News – Winter 2021 by Karen Zupko and Isabel Bolt What keeps plastic surgeons up at night? Most would…
Aesthetic Society News – Spring 2021 by Karen Zupko The environment in which you practice is part of your brand.…
Aesthetic Society News – Fall 2020 by Karen Zupko Suspects. Prospects. First-time patients. Repeat Patients. Advocates. Are your Suspects or…
Aesthetic Society News – Fall 2021 by Karen Zupko The cover of Barron’s said it best: “Help is NOT on…
Aesthetic Society News – Summer 2019 by Karen Zupko Turning callers and prospects into scheduled consults is a subject that…
Aesthetic Society News – March 2018 by Karen Zupko, President One area of practice administration where most plastic surgery practices…
Aesthetic Society News – Winter 2018 by Amy Boyer, MBA Every plastic surgeon knows that photography is an essential part…
High Deductible Health Plans: Take Accounts Receivable Action Now The American Journal of Orthopedics® – November/December 2017 by Karen Zupko,…
Aesthetic Society News – Fall 2017 by Karen Zupko, President To charge or not to charge? That is the question…
Practice Management: Unique Selling Points MedEsthetics – October 2017 by Karen Zupko, President Help your practice stand out by recognizing…
Aesthetic Society News – Spring 2017 by Karen Zupko, President “Sorry, I didn’t call you back last week, Karen. I…
Aesthetic Society News – Summer 2016 by Karen Zupko, President Last week, a plastic surgeon from Tennessee called. He outsources…
We frequently visit practices that have spent the equivalent of a Mercedes convertible on a practice management system (PMS).
There is a common perception among aesthetic surgeons that the primary reason a patient doesn’t schedule surgery is because of…
Aesthetic Society News – Winter 2016 by Karen Zupko, President After mystery shopping over 150 aesthetic plastic surgery practices through…
Price. Product (or Service). Promotion. Place. These "4 Ps" comprise the classic Marketing Mix and are foundational components of any…
Aesthetic Society News – Winter 2015 by Cheryl Toth, MBA We frequently find that aesthetic surgeons make expensive business decisions…
Aesthetic Society News – Summer 2015 by Glenn Morley Rewarding a Patient Care Coordinator (PPC) with a financial bonus can…
The Association of Dermatology Administrators & Managers Newsletter by Glenn Morley If you’ve decided to make the strategic change toward…
MedEsthetics Magazine – March 2015 Cheyenne Brinson, MBA, CPA It’s not enough to make more than you spend practices must…
The Association of Dermatology Administrators & Managers Newsletter by Glenn Morley For physicians who have decided to incorporate cosmetic services…
The Association of Dermatology Administrators & Managers Newsletter by Glenn Morley You’ve made the strategic shift toward increasing cosmetic lines…
MedEsthetics – November/December 2014 by Karen Zupko Because employees of medical practices and medspas have easy access to patient information,…
Aesthetic Society News – Fall 2014 by Karen Zupko, President “How long will I have to stop running after surgery?”…
Aesthetic Society News – Summer 2014 by Karen Zupko, President A few years ago, we worked with an aesthetic practice…
Aesthetic Society News – Spring 2014 by Karen Zupko, President You’ve spent thousands on attractive branding and Web design. You’ve…
Plastic Surgery News Connection – October 2013 by Cheryl Toth, MBA “It’s a total nightmare!” The physician’s voice was a…
Aesthetic Society News – Winter 2011 by Karen Zupko, President When Lucy showed up for the interview, you thought your…
